Segregation of domestic hazardous waste remains a distant dream for most Indian cities in absence
of robust framework and infrastructure. Domestic Hazardous Waste is any chemical or product that
can cause serious illness or pose an environmental or health threat if improperly stored, transported
or disposed of. When hazardous waste is disposed of in the trash, down the drain, or on the ground,
our water and soils can be contaminated or trash collectors can be harmed. Most products labeled
dangerous, flammable, poison, combustible and corrosive are considered hazardous waste. Indore is
the only city in the country that safely handles its domestic hazardous waste.
Domestic Hazardous Waste in India:
In 2020, significant levels of toxic heavy metals and persistent organic contaminants like pesticides
have been found by the researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi and IIT
Mumbai. Pollution due to underwater nuclear weapon testing and explosions. They analysed fine
particles from eight dump sites across the country. It includes items such as –
Discarded cans of paint and pesticide
Sanitary waste such as disposable diapers and sanitary pads
Items of biomedical waste such as expired or discarded medicines, broken mercury
thermometers, used needles and syringes
E-waste such as tube lights and CFL bulbs
Items such as used batteries and button cells, all generated at the household level
With changing lifestyles, homes are awash with different chemicals and products.
These, often without us being aware, are corrosive, explosive, flammable or toxic.
They are harmful not only for human health but also for the environment if not disposed of
properly.
Legal Framework for governing Household Waste:
Household waste is governed by the rules outlined in the Solid Waste Management Rules
2016.
These rules divide household waste into dry and wet waste.
o Wet waste is categorised as any waste that decomposes or degrades by itself.
o All other waste falls into dry waste according to the rules.
Issues:
Not Fully Covered in Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016::-
The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 define it as “discarded paint drums, pesticide
cans, compact fluorescent lightbulbs, tube lights, expired medicines, broken mercury
thermometers, used batteries, used needles and syringes and contaminated gauge, etc
generated at household levels”.
The definition is not exhaustive, and so leaves a lot to the imagination of individual
households and local government bodies such as Panchayats and municipalities.
For example, the rules leave out cigarette butts even though they contain traces of heavy
metals and other chemicals.
Implementation of Rules:
According to the rules, Households must segregate waste into wet, dry and domestic
hazardous categories.
Local government bodies must collect the hazardous waste, and / or set up collection
centres every 20 km so households can deposit it on their own.
The local authorities must then safely deliver the collected waste to disposal facilities. The
rules also direct the authorities to develop the necessary infrastructure and sensitise people
by 2018.
But none of these requirements have been translated on the ground.
Not enough capacity of disposal facilities:
Even if the waste is collected, the country does not have enough disposal facilities to safely
treat them.
A disposal facility typically has engineered landfills that stop the percolation of toxic
leachate into the ground, and / or controlled incinerators.
Currently, there are only 45 of these facilities, as per the Handbook on Chemicals and
Hazardous Waste Management and Handling in India released in 2019 by the Union
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
Way Forward:
The authorities must also ensure safe storage of the waste and its transportation to the hazardous
waste disposal facility. Since, it is the responsibility of the municipal authorities under the Solid
Waste Management Rules, 2016, to collect hazardous waste quarterly or periodically, and/or set up
deposit centres where such waste can be dropped off by waste generators.
Reference
